[NY14804]

I doubt the amount of sulfite found in store bought grape juice or concentrate is higher than what winemakers put in the grape "must" to kill any wild yeast & bacteria before adding their desired yeast. Just make it with the store bought juice or concentrate and it'll likely work just fine. I've done it in the past without any problems.

 

[JWPalmer]

I went to Food Lion today and looked at the Old Orchard brand grape juice concentrate. Grape juice, citric acid, and ascorbic acid. No sulfites. $2.49 per12 oz can. Bought 5. This does not say 100% Concorde Grape like the Welch's did IIRC, so it may be a blend. Need to get yeast and will see how it works.

 

[Oldironman]

Hey there, my experience with Old Orchard was the yeast would not start because of the acid content. Thought I lost 5 gallons. Rather than trashing it, I sprinkled some baking soda into it to neutralize the acid. No science to my method, only desperation. I don't remember how much added. It wasn't much, as I was worried about the flavor. It took off like mad. Prior to that it had set 2 months without fermenting. I know the wine stores make a acid modifier, but I used what I had on hand. I want to say like a teaspoon per gallon, or a couple of tablespoons for the batch. Turned out well.

 

[crofter]

Hey there, my experience with Old Orchard was the yeast would not start because of the acid content. Thought I lost 5 gallons. Rather than trashing it, I sprinkled some baking soda into it to neutralize the acid. No science to my method, only desperation. I don't remember how much added. It wasn't much, as I was worried about the flavor. It took off like mad. Prior to that it had set 2 months without fermenting. I know the wine stores make a acid modifier, but I used what I had on hand. I want to say like a teaspoon per gallon, or a couple of tablespoons for the batch. Turned out well.

Baking soda is actually on the list of food grade ph adjusting products. The acidity may indeed be the fermentation killer in the juices.
Here is one list of ph adjusters https://compoundingtoday.com/pHAdjust/

 

[laketrout]

what would make these other juice's have more acid content than the welch's is it just a different blend of grapes or are they adding something

 

[JWPalmer]

Lake, the Old Orchard lists the citric and ascorbic acids as added ingredients. Had not thought about pH, but it makes sense, just like adding lemon juice when I can tomatoes. Sodium bicarbonate to increase the alkalinity sounds like a plan. I wonder if the home brew store sells pH strips?

 

[JWPalmer]

Update: The brew store does sell the pH strips and the grape juice I mixed up is actually higher than the scale which only reads up to 4.4, I am guessing it is closer to neutral. So, I mixed up 6 cans of the Old Orchard, 10# of sugar, 1/2 tsp. of yeast nutrients, 1 tsp. of DAP, one packet of Lalvin D47, and water to make six gallons. Approx 24 hours later and she is cooking right along at 30 BPM. Three weeks to go.

 

[laketrout]

Let us know how it turns out , I have a raspberry Merlot just about done but so far it isnt clearing up going to wait a few more days , did you do the welch's recipe to compare to your present batch

 

[JWPalmer]

I did not know that there were recipes on the web for this. I looked over a few and noted that the recipe I have uses less juice and more sugar than the others. Also does not require tannic acid. I wonder if will taste as good as I remember. After all, what does a then 15 year old know about wine other than that MD 20/20 was good if you wanted to get your date drunk?

Did you try cold crashing the merlot to see if it would clear? I had about two fifths of the metheglyn tied up in the dregs. I have been clarifying it and am now down to just a pint of cloudy material.

 

[Fivej]

Don't your brew stores sell grape juice too? There are none around here anymore, but back when I was making wine and beer, the "brew store" sold the juice too as well as wine making equipment. Might be worth asking if they can get it for you. J

 

[laketrout]

JW , I was talking about the recipe that flower planter posted It's not a wine or a mead it's a cross between them. Combines the best properties of each. It's a full bodied wine rich in flavor with the smoothness and mouth feel of mead.

For those that don't like mead you will want to try this.

12 cans Welch’s 100% grape (I don’t like their white grape)
3 cups white sugar
4 cups wild flower honey
cotes de blanc yeast

SG 1.090

I have made several batches and the SG was right on each time.

Mix all contents in 5 gal carboy at the same time. Rack as needed about 3 times.
After the last of th

 

[JWPalmer]

I am willing to give that one a try next go round. Was even considering back sweetening the juice I have fermenting now with a bit of honey but I like a tried and true recipe better.
Thanks.

 

[JWPalmer]

Laketrout, did your merlot ever clear up?

Two and a half weeks in on the grape juice wine and I am down to about 4 BPM. I plan on racking it to the secondary this coming Sunday if the SG is around 1.005 or so and bubbles are less than 2 BPM.

 

[laketrout]

it cleared up a little bit but not all the way BUT its really good so i dont think its going to be a problem !!! Just finishing up a really good fat tire clone hate to see the last bottle it was the best beer I've brewed so far

 

[Jbthompson]

My Giant food store does have there own label of frozen concentrated grape juice I'm waiting to check the label and see if it contains sulfites but i would think it would be very similar to the welch's brand but the private is alot cheaper hopefully thats just paying for the name and not something else like a different grape

All of you looking for Welch's concentrated 100% grape juice....it's still available. It's now in a non frozen can, shelf stable. I've spoken to Welch's twice in the last 4-6 weeks. There's no shortage ot backlog. My local grocery manager (in NE Texas) also talked to Welch's. If you can find a store that can/will order straight from Welch's and not their supplier/distributor, you can get it.

 

[laketrout]

looks like it has been pasteurized isnt that a problem , I know we cant make hard cider from pasteurized cider

 

[Fivej]

looks like it has been pasteurized isnt that a problem , I know we cant make hard cider from pasteurized cider

I make hard cider from pasteurized cider. Not sure what the issue would be unless you are not adding yeast and relying on the wild yeast. J

 

[laketrout]

I make hard cider from pasteurized cider. Not sure what the issue would be unless you are not adding yeast and relying on the wild yeast. J

I tried three batchs one year , one with a wine yeast one with a beer yeast and one catching a wild yeast and by far the wild yeast was 100% better than the other two so from then on I dont use yeast

 

[crofter]

I tried three batchs one year , one with a wine yeast one with a beer yeast and one catching a wild yeast and by far the wild yeast was 100% better than the other two so from then on I dont use yeast

Pasteurization only destroys the natural yeasts, which wont matter if you add your own choice of yeast. There can be a problem though if they also add sulphites at a fairly high level which would also prevent your chosen yeast from taking off.
Is there not a treatment you can do to knock out the added sulphites?

 

[JWPalmer]

The batch I made used bread yeast. Can't say that it was all that flavorful as a wine, but the alcohol content got up high enough that a few glasses, OK a quart, got the buzz on.